UP had a coal train derail a coal train heading to Milwaukee in Northbrook, Il. Collapsed bridge.
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8724613
Same spot as a couple of years ago, the junction with the CP at Shermer. From what I understand, the bridge collapsed this time (maybe they’ll get rid of that annoying center pier in the roadway).
The train probably was going to Pleasant Prairie or Oak Creek, based on what I can see of the cars (they look like WEPX).
That is going to be some cleanup job, judging by the way those cars are wedged into that gap. How can they say commuter service is not going to be disrupted, unless it didn’t go on that route in the first place. Not the media’s finest moment.
Amazing photos.
Bruce
“Epic Fail !”
Shermer Rd. bridge, at about these Lat./ Long. coords.: N 42.10337 W 87.82933
‘Chicken or egg’ ambiguous scenario - although there are switches and a crossover just to the northeast, this looks like it happened as the train was moving southwest, and before it reached any facing-point switch or the bridge - see Photos 3, 6, 7, and 10 of 12 at:
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/gallery?section=news/local&id=8724753&photo=3
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/gallery?section=news/local&id=8724753&photo=6
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/gallery?section=news/local&id=8724753&photo=7
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/gallery?section=news/local&id=8724753&photo=10
Perhaps caused by “sun kink” in the rails induced by the extreme heat in the area recently ?
Maybe one of our ‘local sources’ can get more info ?
- Paul North.
Here is a link to the story in the Chicago Tribune with video:
Officials said there were no injuries to the train crew. The trains was headed northeast on the (New Line) Sub as it was a loaded coal train. No Metra service is affected. The bridge is / was brand new having just been built last year. Right now, because it just happened, there is no known cause. Officials also stated that they don’t know why the bridge collapsed. So, I guess the interesting question is: Did the train derail first and take out the new bridge? Or, did the new bridge fail and collapse causing the train to derail? It’s one-hundred degrees outside right now, so I have a feeling that the weather / heat is going to have something to do with this derailment.
They could say commuter service was not disrupted because the line is not used by Metra. What’s your media bias? The main Trib Local story seemed pretty accurate.
Still will be a Huge Mess on the Surface Street Commutes with all the mess that has to be Removed and then hauled away.
Let’ use some reporting and appearance to assist a guess.
The engine and nine cars got by the point derailment (tv report).
The track remaining beyond the derailment looks unscarred.
The cars involved are compressed like a slinky- toy, not like the folds of an accordian.
No secondary derailment back in the 132 car train…yes, all loads and maybe a DPU.
Visible sun-kink? 9 cars and the engine by…not at all likely…
The beyond- derailment-track looks OK. If there is a point of derailment on the track approaching the bridge, scarring indicating a dragged derailed car that swerved enough to big hole the train by uncoupling a brake pipe hose would result in a looser accordian- pleat pile-up and often another slack caused derailment way back in the train.
Catastrophic bridge failure, cars drop into the chasm, head-end cars and engine break off, head-end causes DPU to big-hole the rear-end stretching that out, but not soon enough to stop the slinky like pile-up in the gap left by the failed bridge.
When the bridge failed it shoved the parallel track with it. A derailment probably woud have left that other track undisturbed until the derailed cars crunched it and the track curve would not show.
Is that enough to defend the NTSB for not offering preliminary assumptions.
I will not speculate as to the cause. But let us look at the restoration. All these ideas are subject to C & Cs.
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whether the bridge collapsed or not the impact of 286,000 # cars hitting the bridge supports may compromise those supports so they will have to be replaced ??
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If supports compromised then foundations may have to be replaced ? happened here on an automobile bridge collapse.
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No matter what repairs needed I imagine several UP engineering persons got called in on their july 4th holiday.
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It appears that UP will have an easy time diverting around this derailmen by tN
Paul, the train would have been headed timetable north (geographic northeast) here. Judging from photo “6 of 12” in one of those links, the mess occurred on trackage southwest of the facing-point switches, so it’s probably safe to say that those weren’t the cause of the wreck (I believe that one of them was, in November 2009).
This junction (where CP trains from Bensenville leave the UP to get to their own line to Wisconsin, or where trains from Milwaukee join the UP to get to Bensenville) is known as Shermer, probably for the road.
In my previous post I’d mentioned the center pier of the UP bridge over Shermer Road. At that point I hadn’t heard about a rebuilding of the bridge. Obviously whatever happened will require the bridge to be rebuilt once more. Wouldn’t be surprised if a shoofly is in place fairly quickly, but that road is going to be closed for a while until a permanent bridge (more permanent, we hope!) is put up.
It’s been forever since I’ve ridden over that trackage, so it’s pointless to compare how good it was in my memory with how it should be now. It’s 50-mph track, with ABS and welded rail (jointed yet when I was working it). A sun-kink in this extreme heat (it got up to 102 today) shouldn’t be ruled out, but neither should equipment failure.
Tribune article said there was a small grass fire so don’t rule out a journal problem.
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thanks to carl’s clarification we now know that the only way to address the reroute problem will probably be a shoe fly. I wonder if the closness of the METRA LINE will affect the placement of such.
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How much traffic does UP and CP have on this line ?
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any way to route traffic to Rondout and Upton ( UP - EJE connection ) from Proviso ?
The UP portion of the freight line crosses the Metra line a sufficient distance away for a shoofly to be built, in my estimation.
UP sends coal trains up this line to at least four destinations now, perhaps five. There are also two or three manifests in each direction, and a less-than-daily Roadrailer pair. Can’t comment on CP’s volume. I’m sure that their traffic isn’t anywhere near what it was in MILW days–what goes through here now for UP is less than half of what I remember from CNW days.
UP could get onto the old EJ&E at West Chicago and head north, but I don’t know how things are laid out at Bartlett, Rondout, or Upton.
I was just thinking the local population would know where the route is, and the guy in the video was just talking to fill airtime. Trying to sound knowledgeable and important. Don’t think I am picking on anyone in particular, the media doesn’t do well with train wrecks around here either.
Carl’s latest post does make it seem that the commuter line is close enough to this site that confusion could be possible.
Bruce
The fire was caused by electrical lines that were knocked down. UP is going to try to have the derailment and bridge removed within the next twenty-four hours (Thursday night). After the cleanup they plan to fill the gap where the bridge was with stone until a new bridge can be built. It sounds like Shermer Road will be closed for awhile. No word on any reroutes.
CC
Cleanup on aisle 5. If only it were closer I might get some salvagable flat sections of the 3/16" aluminum they use for the sides of those cars to build a flatbed onto my Ford Ranger.
11 years ago UP had engines on both ends of a coal train they were switching at the King power plant in Bayport Minnesota. There was a miscommunication and engines at both ends tried to push toward each other. Two aluminum coal cars got sandwiched together and twisted up like a smashed ham sandwich. It was quite the site to see. I wished I had taken pictures of it.
NEWS FLASH: Local news media just reported crews have found a crushed car contaning a body in the mangled wreck of the coal train in question. May the victim R.I.P.
This is the update including the discovery of a body, as well as preliminary investigation results.
Not to make light of the fact but that is the ultimate never saw it coming.
They only had 7 Million Lbs of Train debris to dig through BEFORE they found this man. Boy talk about a Shocker. I would not want to be UP right now. Think about it they had that Head On on the Golden State Route now this with a Civilian Dead in it and now they think MORE may be with him. I would not want to be a MOW worker right now as My Boss is going to be hammering us with a Red Hot Hammer. Let alone the Hiers of this guy they admitted the Bridge could NOT handle the Load of the Derailment on the Paper. Can you say Jackpot to them and their ATTY.